Pages

Saturday, October 31, 2015

As y'all know, I'm a Library Science student at University of North Texas. This semester I have the pleasure of taking an AWESOME class called Literature for Youth! One of the things we have to do is read some books from a list my Prof has provided us and then make up a blog and post reviews over what we've read. CLEARLY this is right up my alley! So, instead of making a completely different blog, every Saturday I'm going to start posting this new feature!

MODULE 10:

Historical Fiction

Audiobook, 7 parts

Released: March 22, 2011

Published by: Philomel Books

Source: Library

Book Summary: Lina is a 15 year old girl in Lithuania in 1941. She's normal. She likes drawing and talking with her parents. Until one night her life isn't so normal anymore. Soviet soldiers burst into her home and take her family away. Soon her family (her, her mother, and her little brother) are aplit away from her father and things continue to get worse from there. They're forced into labor camps in terrible conditions. This is the story of Lina and her family as they face this terrible situation.

*MY IMPRESSIONS*

Historical fiction has never been my favorite genre, so when I saw we had to read one for a module, I wasn't excited. But after reading the textbook and this book, I can see myself reading more of this genre. Historical fiction provides readers with information about life, customs, and events in the past while taking readers into the lives of the characters. (Bucher, 2014) This is why it wasn't my favorite genre. It always felt so "teachy." But this book didn't feel that way at all. It had the right balance of history and fiction. There wasn't a time when I felt like I was reading my textbook, and I really learned a lot about the things that were happening at this time. The best thing about this book is the fact that there was so much to learn. Of course I had heard about hitler and the Germans trying to over take Jewish people, but I hadn't heard much about Stalin. This book taught me so much. Because of this I was ready to learn about this situation and see the situation through "the eyes of the characters." (Bucher, 2014) This book made me want to explore more of the historical fiction genre. It really made me think that there may be more that I missed and should give a small chance to.

Overall, I give this

Professionals are Saying...

KIRKUS REVIEW

This bitterly sad, fluidly written historical novel tackles a topic woefully underdiscussed in English-language children’s fiction: Joseph Stalin’s reign of terror. On June 14th, 1941, Soviet officers arrest 15-year-old Lina, her younger brother and her mother and deport them from Lithuania to Siberia. Their crammed-full boxcar is labeled, ludicrously, “Thieves and Prostitutes.” They work at a frigid gulag for eight months—hungry, filthy and brutalized by Soviet officers—before being taken to the Siberian Arctic and left without shelter. Lina doesn’t know the breadth of Stalin’s mass deportations of Baltic citizens, but she hears scraps of discussion about politics and World War II. Cold, starvation, exhaustion and disease (scurvy, dysentery, typhus) claim countless victims. Lina sketches urgently, passing her drawings along to other deportees, hoping they’ll reach Papa in a Soviet prison. Brief flashbacks, seamlessly interwoven, illuminate Lina’s sweet old life in Kaunas like flashes of light, eventually helping to reveal why the repressive, deadly regime targeted this family. Sepetys’ flowing prose gently carries readers through the crushing tragedy of this tale that needs telling. (maps, timeline, author’s note) (Historical fiction. 12 & up, adult)

Library Uses:

I would use this as a Book Talk. I would talk about this book and then go into detail about the real situation on what this book is based on. This would move the students as well as the adults that were present. I would also see to it that there were props such as the message in a bottle at the end or even some of the drawings that someone else may Book Image from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray

This will always be my favorite book to screen adaptation. Maybe because I loved the book so much and the movie is about 100% perfect too. In this rare occasion, the movie made me find the book, but since then I read it about 9515201882036306985 times. Both of them are amazing and I recommend it to everyone!

Revenge is worth its weight in gold. When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

*MY THOUGHTS*

I waiteed to write this review because I am currently the black sheep of this story. But it's actually for good reason. When I said I wanted to read this one, it was because so many people had convinced me that even though they didn't like Westerns, this was still a cool book to read!

Revenge is sweet. Or so Kate thinks so anyway. That's why she's doing her damnedest to try and achieve it. But she ends up finding way more than she bargained for. Finding what she needs may prove to be more dangerous than what she expected.

Everyone LOVED this one and convinced me that I would love it too. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. I had a hard time reading this one because I'm not a fan of historical fiction OR Westerns. Even the language was hard for me to get over. From me not being a fan of either of them it took long to get used to what she was saying and finally it got boring trying to decipher it. Granted it wasn't THAT hard, but I'd rather read and not have to decipher what they're saying.

Ironically, the way it was written was what I liked most about the book. It was evident that Bowman worked very hard on this book, so for me to just say I didn't like it didn't seem fair. This book just wasn't my cup of tea. Maybe at another time I may pick it back up, but for now, I had to give it up.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

This bookish meme tells the blogosphere what we're waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for! It's hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

As Princess of Wonderland Palace and the future Queen of Hearts, Dinah’s days are an endless monotony of tea, tarts, and a stream of vicious humiliations at the hands of her father, the King of Hearts. The only highlight of her days is visiting Wardley, her childhood best friend, the future Knave of Hearts — and the love of her life. When an enchanting stranger arrives at the Palace, Dinah watches as everything she’s ever wanted threatens to crumble. As her coronation date approaches, a series of suspicious and bloody events suggests that something sinister stirs in the whimsical halls of Wonderland. It’s up to Dinah to unravel the mysteries that lurk both inside and under the Palace before she loses her own head to a clever and faceless foe. Part epic fantasy, part twisted fairy tale, this dazzling saga will have readers shivering as Dinahs furious nature sweeps Wonderland up in the maelstrom of her wrath. Familiar characters such as Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter make their appearance, enchanting readers with this new, dark take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Published by: HarperTeen

Expected Publication: May 3, 2016

Why I'm Waiting: DOES THIS NOT SOUND ABSOLUTELY EFFING AMAZING?! And is this like the year for the Queen of Hearts? I've found/heard about 3 books about her and I am super excited. Maybe having all of these stories about other characters in Wonderland will open up the way for other characters like the Mad Hatter, who's always been my favorite.

Search This Blog

About Me

29 years young. College grad. Working as a Youth Services Specialist. Masters from ALA accredited Univ. of North Texas (Library Science with a Youth Services certificate!) so that I can spread the word of literature to the youth. Books are a vacation and can take you anywhere you want to go... So follow me as I let books "Take Me Away... On the Pages of their Story."

Currently Reading

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston

Currently Listening:

A Stranger in the House by Shari LaPena

To all publishers and authors:

I do accept books (only MG/YA/NA)to be reviewed from big/small publishers or from any authors. I do not accept E-books. Also, I try not to review any books too far in advance of the publication date. Anyway, don’t hesitate to email me at pnh002@gmail.com.